Police recovers motorboat engines in Tarangan coastal village

By ELI C. DALUMPINES (PIA Samar)
January 5, 2007

CATBALOGAN, Samar  –  Elements of the Samar Police Provincial Office (SPPO) based here at Samar ’s capital recovered 16 motorboat engines in an operation conducted in Brgy. Bonga, a coastal barangay in Tarangnan town, Thursday.

SPO3 Samuel C. Rosales, who led the PNP operatives to Brgy. Bonga, said the engines were voluntarily surrendered by the fisher folks of the said barangay who allegedly purchased the equipment in a cheap price from the group whom the police have collared recently.

According to Rosales, this came after they aired to the barangay residents that they are contemplating to implicate those who have purchased engines from the said group who were engaged in piracy.

The police officer informed though that they are expecting to recover more stolen motorboat engines in the next few days as they are planning to intensify their anti-piracy campaign.

Samar PNP Director PSupt. Asdali Idja Abah, in an interview, informed that this is in line with his command’s drive against piracy which has started in mid December last year when police authorities intercepted suspected pirates in the waters of Tagapul-an.

To recall, police authorities arrested two suspected pirates in the vicinity of Brgy. Labangbaybay, Tagapul-an last December 18 following reports that a group of pirates victimizing motorboat operators were operating is said island town.

The police arrested Joel R. Sanico, 24 and Jerry R. Mondera, 22, both residents of Brgy. Bonga in Tarangnan and confiscated four motorboat engines which the suspects are about to dispose to any interested buyer.